Railways special package for tourists

PTIOct 2, 2007, 11.20am IST

MUSSORIE: With rapid growth in domestic tourism industry, railways have worked out a package that takes care of train reservation and hotel booking woes to woo Indian and foreign tourists and plans foray in outbound tourism.

"We have worked out a dynamic strategy in association with transporters, hoteliers and state tourism departments to provide an affordable package to tourists. Knowns as VAT package, it is being launched across the country," A K Barar, Group General Manager, Indian Railway and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said.

"We have identified about 80 prominent destinations including Mussorie, Shimla, Kanyakumari, Cochin, Munnar, Puri, in the first phase which will be expanded in the next phase to include more tourist spots in the country," Barar said.

"We are targetting the common man to avail our new services. Whether it is a group of people or just one family, the VAT package can be availed by all," said Barar.

Though IRCTC had earlier been in tourism business it was not in a full-fledged way as more focus was on catering business. Now, it has created a new tourism marketing department to work out novel ways to lure tourists in a big way. The department is constantly working out new schemes to woo tourists.